The Portland Press Herald Toy Fund is using donations from readers to provide toys to about 7,000 Maine children who might otherwise not receive holiday gifts because of hardships faced by their parents.
The fund – now in its 65th year – is accepting applications for toys from needy families in Cumberland, York, Sagadahoc, Lincoln and Knox counties. Applications can be downloaded at pressheraldtoyfund.org or picked up at the Welcome Center desk on the fifth floor of One City Center in Portland. Call 791-6672 to have one mailed to you.
Donations to help buy the toys can be made on the website or by writing checks to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund and mailing them to the fund at P.O. Box 7310, Portland, ME 04112.
The campaign’s fundraising goal this year is $250,000. The total raised so far is $62,909.10.
Here is a letter from one such applicant:
Dear Press Herald Toy Fund,
I have a 3-year-old daughter. Her dad and I are both disabled. My Social Security has been reduced. I simply can’t figure out how to afford Christmas presents because I just don’t have the money. Can you help?
No money to spare
DONATIONS
Anonymous…………………………$100
Merry Christmas! Deena M. Hastings………………………………..$50
In lieu of Christmas cards, Carl and Rachel Akins………………….$35
Esther and James Marshall Jr…………………………………………………….$25
Anonymous……………………………..$1
In loving memory of Ben, Seamus and Tommy………….$200
Jill V. Maromek……………………..$75
Fred and Maryeileen Haley …………………………………………………..…$250
In loving memory of Dave and Davey Cousins, from your family …………………………………………….…$20
In memory of Ted and Rita Baltas ……………………………………$75
From Flaggy Meadow Farm ………………………………………………………$20
In memory of Robert Pettengill …………………………..…$60
In memory of Bill and Alice Amer …………………………………….$50
Paul Collins………………………….$100
In loving memory of Ruth Bennett and Elmer Constant ………………………………………………..…$100
In memory of Stanley and Violet Oliver and Ethel Blais…………..$35
In memory of my mother, Carol Denison Libby – Love, Andy and family…………………………………….$50
In memory of my husband, Phil Murphy, from Lucy……………….$50
Louis Campbell…………………..$100
Helen Peterson…………………….$20
Ronald Peaker…………………….$100
Kathleen Moreau………………….$50
In loving memory of my dear friend Priscilla Bowker, with love, Joan………………………………$10
Ann Deering………………………….$50
Andrew Rasmussen…………..$200
From Jack and Amy Jensen ……………………………………………………$200
For all the children, from SMK ………………………………………………..…$25
From “Bentley”…………………..$100
From Roger and Lydia Percival, Naples, Florida, for the children ………………………………..$25
Stuart and Margaret Welch …………………………………………………….$500
Anonymous ………………………….$25
From the Day family …………$100
Anonymous …………………….…$500
Neal Perry ……………………………$20
In memory of Donald Ferland …………………………………………………$100
Deborah Fossum …………………$25
In loving memory of Uncle Bob – the Millers ……………………….…$75
In memory of “Edie” Richards husband “Max”……………..$100.00
Merry Christmas! Rusty and Sally Bennett …………………..$100
In memory of Rip ………………..$50
In memory of Dad, Gram and Nana …………………………………..$200
Anonymous …………………………$50
In loving memory of Grandma Dot, from all the grandkids ……………………………………………………..$100
In memory of Fran Cook …..$100
To brighten a child’s Christmas! David and Deborah Suhr ……$65
Haley and Aldrich Inc. ……….$125
In loving memory of Audrey Anne Jackson, who loved children, from Tom and Joanne Carlson ……………………………….$100
Loving memory of Thomas Cook, from wife and family…$25
Pamela Shay, Gregory Soper …………………………………………………..$100
For Christine Anderson ………$50
We are glad to help make a needy child’s Christmas brighter, David and Sandra Michniewicz ……………………………………………….$50
Year to date: $62,909.10
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story